Zachary Efron, "Zac", is of part Jewish ancestry. His surname, "Efron", means "lark" in Hebrew. He began acting professionally in the early 2000s. In 2006, Efron starred in the Disney Channel original movie High School Musical as Troy Bolton. He is also known to young audiences after his roles in the WB series Summerland, and the 2007 film version of the Broadway musical Hairspray.